


now i'm a ghost

by stardustpilot



Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: Angst, Black Swan - Freeform, Brief Mention of Suicide, Fluff, M/M, Missions Gone Wrong, Neverseen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 15:08:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16578878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustpilot/pseuds/stardustpilot
Summary: Keefe misses the way Tam’s silvery blue eyes harden in the light of the moon. “It’s a quick infiltration mission. We’re planting the explosives and getting out before they blow.” He sighs softly through his nose.  “No need to call Swan Song yet, yeah? There’s still hope.”





	now i'm a ghost

**Author's Note:**

> hi! i have hereby decided that today is the day i write and post about my long love, Keeper of the Lost Cities. the first chapter is before my reading of Flashback, and the second installment will be post-my reading. can't wait to see the difference in my perspective after canon. *cries*
> 
> title from and work inspired by lostboycrow's missing london (which i highly recommend listening to while reading!) 
> 
> enjoy! much love, c

Keefe has a bad feeling that everything is about to go very, very wrong.

For one, Tam doesn’t even seem concerned that he’s on a mission with Keefe, his sworn enemy and rival at the Black Swan. He keeps checking the time on his imparter, glancing up every few moments to make sure Keefe is behind him as they head towards Neverseen’s HQ.

He’s adamant on keeping his cape on, even though it’s little more than sweltering outside. Keefe had gotten rid of his hours ago. It’s laying somewhere inside a dumpster on Fifth Avenue. Probably.

Suddenly, Tam takes a sharp turn on Seventh, and Keefe stops in his tracks.

“Tam!” he calls out.

The older boy blinks back at him. “What?”

“We’re supposed to go straight.”

Tam pulls out his earpiece, ruffling his hair nonchalantly. “Dex said HQ’s entrance is swarmed with guards at the moment. We need to go through the back door. Forkle sent an internal map, and Fitz sent my imparter the directions to Sector H8. Hurry.”

“I thought we weren’t going inside?” Keefe says, even as he hurries to catch up with Tam’s long strides. “There’s no way we’ll come back alive with just the two of us against the entire Neverseen corporation.”

Keefe misses the way Tam’s silvery blue eyes harden in the light of the moon. “It’s a quick infiltration mission. We’re planting the explosives and getting out before they blow.” He sighs softly through his nose. “No need to call Swan Song yet, yeah? There’s still hope.”

 _There’s still hope,_ Keefe repeats to himself, even as his heart pounds and he thinks of Fitz and Sophie and Biana and Dex and the countless other members of the coalition, all waiting for them back at Black Swan’s HQ.

They run down two more blocks before stopping behind a gray and yellowing pharmacy, far too close to the Neverseen to be safe. Tam closes his eyes, forehead creased. A moment passes before he speaks again. “Sector H8 all clear.” Keefe watches as his shadow pulls back into shape. “You have the packages?”

Keefe pulls out his two explosives. “I really hope this works,” he says quietly. “Did Forkle give you the positions?”

Tam nods. “You have the outers. They’re supposed to prevent escape. I have the internal ones. Need to plant them at the entrances and in the alternate routes.”

Keefe creases his brow. “How are you going to get out before they go off? This is crazy,” Keefe says, shaking his head incredulously. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

Tam huffs, already headed towards the marble building. “No time for hesitation. This is life or death.”

Keefe feels the panic rising in his chest. “No it’s not,” he insists. “This is a suicide mission. You’re going in there willingly?” He glances up at the building, the malicious black and white eye staring them down as they approach.

“Tam!” Keefe pleads, nearly grabbing the boy in his desperation. “This isn’t a joke. I”m not joking, Tam.”

Tam stops. His head is down. Shoulders slouched.

Keefe knew it was coming.

Something is wrong. Really, really, wrong.

“Buddy?” Keefe tries again, placing himself in Tam’s line of vision.

And suddenly the boy moves, reaching up to touch Keefe’s face, gentle in a way Keefe hadn’t imagined was possible, given all the times they’d sparred and all the bruises and scrapes he’d gotten from them.

Tam takes a sharp breath, and Keefe can feel the panic through the fingertips pressed against his jaw. “Keefe. Listen to me.” Keefe swallows, forces his eyes up to meet Tam’s, even as they fill with bitter tears. There’s not a hint of malace in the silver blue, just hope. _So much hope_. “Not everything is as it seems.” Tam smiles at him, broken and beautiful and endless in a way Keefe couldn’t lose, not ever. “Don’t forget me, please.” He brushes away the last of Keefe’s tears with a nimble thumb, and then just like that he’s off, along with the explosives, both of theirs.

Keefe watches as he hurries up the stairs, the fear paralyzing, rooting him to the ground.

Tam turns around one last time before entering the building. He bites his lip. Adjusts the boxes in his hands, then undoes the strings of his cape.

As the fabric glides gracelessly from his shoulders, Keefe sees it. On the back of his vest.

A black and white eye, identical to the one staring down at him from the top of the building.

He doesn’t know how he’ll forget this.


End file.
